Backstage Magic Tour?

[~MandR~]

Expert tourers (is that a word?) needed. I was hoping to get some information about the tour. It looks like it starts out at Epcot then moves to MGM, lunch at Mama Melrose then onto MK? Has anyone done this? What did you think, is it worth it?

Thanks in advance.

 

[KCritter]

We loved the tour, and we thought well worth the money.

You are correct, it started at Epcot, then MGM ending at MK. Some memorable things include seeing inside the ride mechanism for Body Wars (no wonder it makes me sick!) and the mechanism for American Experience. We saw a lot of backstage stuff - custom costume design and creation, the shops that create all the custom millwork, statues and things like the cars for the rides (they were rehabbing the Hunny Pots when we went through). We saw the shop that paints the carousel horses and one that makes signs. We also toured the warehouse were they store ALL of the christmas decorations for the entire resort. There were ladies there working on Christmas items and that was in May. The tour also takes you through the utilidors in the MK, and you stop to see the afternoon parade. Lunch was at Mama Melrose in MGM where they brought out tons of different kinds of appetizers, pizza and pasta and dessert. We just passed the platters around the table family style.

Overall the tour was very informative and I'd highly recommend it for any Disney fanatic.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Backstage Magic was my first tour, and set the stage fro me in doing a tour each trip. It was great. You will truly enjoy it. Make sure you have comfortable shoes, a long day, but fun and informative.

www.wdwig.com/tours.htm

 

[Pooh67_68]

Yes we did the backstage magic tour. And if you can afford the extra money, than I highly recommend doing this tour you won't be disappointed.

 

[markºoº]

I did this a couple of years ago and highly recommend it. Actually seeing Body Wars in motion was awesome! We also toured behind the Fantasmic stage, got to check out the inside of some Spectromagic floats, see the backstage operation at the American Adventure (which is massive) and the main computer room at MK where so much of the magic is controlled. They explain how they control the MK afternoon parade and you get to watch over the shoulder of the operator controlling the parade as the parade starts. Then you magically reappear above ground at Main Street where you watch the end of the parade.

One of the big highlights was in the costume shop. We got to enter where they rehab the character heads and our guide actually let us put on some character heads, including Mickey!

Although the tour is long, you do get plenty of breaks driving around plus a nice family style lunch at Mama Melrose. You have your own private mini-bus so you can leave items behind when you get out. This is great since sometimes you can take cameras and sometimes you cannot.

Another plus is 90% of the people in the tour are Disney freaks who love the magic. No whiners or complainers in my group.

 

[Nink]

If you are interesed in the mechanics of Disney, then this is for you. It was most interesting.

The year I went they were building the parts for Primevel Whirl. Now when I ride it, I can say that I saw it being made!

A questions for others on the tour, did you get a special gift at the end of the tour?

We got a folder with the Backstage logo on it and an acrylic Mickey to take home. I have it displayed on a table in my home.

This is a don't miss tour!

 

[markºoº]

yes, I received the same gift. The acrylic Mickey is actually made at WDW at the main shop.

 

[Pooh67_68]

Yes we too recieved the folder with the acrylic Mickey. Which means we got two, I sold one on ebay.

 

[KCritter]

We took the tour last May and received a very cool pin. It is from an old Mickey Mouse cartoon where he goes through the mirror into a 'wonderland' type of a world. Anyhow the pin has Mickey on it passing through the mirror, and I think it said "Backstage Magic Tour' on it. I'll check when I get home.